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Illinois boasts outstanding possibilities in the biotechnology and life science industries, and draws upon many research institutions, whether in non-profit, academic, or government sectors, as well as many research parks and life science companies. Illinois is also one of four states that has committed funding for stem cell research. Its central locale in the Midwestern United States and its vast resources assures Illinois’ position as a biotechnology and life sciences hub. (Photo courtesy Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau.)
The Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization (iBIO) helps to foster the life science industry in the Prairie State by providing interaction between public, private, and academic sectors, and assisting with the establishment of new companies.
Illinois is home to a growing life science industry, inclduing globally recognized companies such as
Abbott in Abbott Park;
Astellas Pharma U.S., Inc.,
Baxter,
Dade Behring, and
Takeda Pharmaceuticals North
America in Deerfield;
Archer Daniels Midland in
Decatur; Hospira in
Lake Forest; and TAP Pharmaceutical Products in
Lake Forest.
Outside the public sector, Argonne National Laboratory, the nation’s first national laboratory, provides Illinois with a variety of research opportunities, including life sciences. Among its many available facilities is the Structural Biology Center.
Uniquely, Illinois also possesses the Illinois Medical District, created in 1941 as a special district with hospitals, medical centers, and research facilities. Within this district is the bioscience incubator, Chicago Technology Park, a 56 acre (0.226 square kilometers or 22.7 hectares) biotech research park fostering new company development and facility expansion for existing companies. The Forest City Science + Technology Group has developed another research park, Illinois Science + Technology Park, a 22 acre (0.89 square kilometers or 8.9 hectares) campus which will provide laboratory, conference, and office space for life science research while aiming to further Illinois’ position as a biotech hub.
Illinois offers a wealth of educational resources which are advancing its position in the biotechnology industry. The University of Illinois has been named a Carnegie 1 Research Institution by the Carnegie Foundation and possesses the second largest research budget in the United States with over $700 million. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers the Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, which contains the Proteomics Center and the W. M. Keck Center for Comparative and Functional Genomics. Also, the Urbana-Champaign campus ranks 18th in the nation among universities in spending on research and development in science and engineering with $391 million.
Northwestern University provides the International Institute for Nanotechnology, created as an umbrella organization for multimillion dollar nanotechnology research efforts at Northwestern University. The Institute aims to support nanotechnology research efforts via its specialized facilities.
The University of Chicago includes such resources as the Ben May Institute for Cancer Research. The University of Chicago is also known for having been associated with over 70 Nobel Prize winners. The private Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago offers many research centers, including the Medical Imaging Research Center and the Engineering Center for Diabetes Research and Education. The SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine provides hope for cancer research by combining patient care with research, education, and outreach.
With so many assets within its borders, Illinois ensures a vibrant future for its biotechnology and life science industries.
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